Flexible folding box



Feb. 13, 1962 D. l. MORRIS FLEXIBLE FOLDING BOX 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 5, 1959 INVENTOR. DANIEL I. MORRIS 0 M 8, (fad FIG.

ATTORNEYS Feb. 13, 1962 D. l. MORRIS FLEXIBLE FOLDING BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed March 5, 1959 mini;

FIG. 9.

INVENTOR. DANIEL I. MORRIS BY RM #1 (Put ATTOR NEYS Feb. 13, 1962 D.MORRIS 3, ,045

FLEXIBLE FOLDING BOX Filed March 3, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 F l G H 17b LJam 27b/l5b =jww Fl G l2. 20b

INVENTOR.

DANIEL I. MORRIS BY (Pmla FA ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,021,045FLEXIBLE FOLDING BOX Daniel I. Morris, 420 Rose Lane, Haverford, Pa.Filed Mar. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 796,784 11 Claims. (Cl. 229--37) Thisinvention relates to a folded box and a folda-ble flat blank for itsconstruction.

It is an object of this invention to provide a folded box having in itsunflexed state the general volumetric proportion of a parallelopipedonwhich can be flexed so as to assume a variety of multi-planarrelationships.

It is another object of this invention to provide a folded box which inits flexed condition affords easy accessability for its removal whenstored side by side with other boxes of similar construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide a flexible folded boxwhich in its unflexed state has a volumetric shape which lends itself toeconomy and efliciency in the packing of said boxes and their contentsfor shipment.

It is another object of this invention to provide a box having apleasing shape which affords a variety of planar surfaces for thereflection of light and the production of shadows which enhance theappearance of the package.

Other objects and attendant advantages will become apparent from thefollowing description and in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the inner face of a folding box blank scored orcreased in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of one specific arrangement of thefolding box as constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 3 is another view in perspective of the same arrangement of thefolding box as constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 4 is a view in cross-section of the folding box as constructed inaccordance with this invention taken as indicated by the lines andarrows IV-IV in FIG. 3, but showing the side walls of the box in theirgenerally uniplanar relation.

FIG. 5 is' a view in cross-section of the folding box as constructed inaccordance with this invention taken as indicated by the lines andarrows VV in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view in top plan of the inner face of a modification of thefolding box blank as scored and constructed in accordance with thisinvention.

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of a folding box as constructed from themodified blank of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view partly in perspective and partly in section showing onespecific arrangement of the folding box as constructed in accordancewith this invention when placed side by side with other such boxes.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of one specific arrangement of the folding boxconstructed in accordance with this invention and open at the top toshow the interior thereof.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a modified box blank in accordance with thisinvention.

FIG. 11 is a view in perspective showing the application of adhesive tothe modified blank of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a view showing the box formed from the blank of FIG. 10in acollapsed position.

The following description is directed to the specific forms of theapparatus and method shown in the drawings and is not intended to beaddressed to the scope of the invention as exemplified by the drawings.It will be appreciated that the drawings represent preferred embodimentsof the invention which is capable of being practiced in a wide varietyof forms and arrangements.

Adverting herewith to the specific form of the invention illustrated inthe drawings, a flexible folding box,

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as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, is formed of a folding box blank 10, ofgenerally rectangular proportion, having a body portion consisting ofalternate side and end portions coextensively arranged longitudinally ofblank 10. The letters A, B and C, D respectively denote areas comprisingalternate side portions and the letters E, F and G, H likewiserespectively denote areas comprising alternate end portions. Alsoforming a part of the blank 10 is a top closure portion K formedcoextensively with side portion AB and a bottom closure portion Lsimilarly formed coextensively with side portion CD.

Top closure portion K is divided by a score or crease line 11 parallelto its terminal edge 12 which delimits the area of a top retaining flap13. A bottom retaining flap 14 is similarly provided by the score orcrease line 15 formed in the bottom closure portion L, parallel to theterminal edge thereof.

The blank 10 further comprises top end portion 16 and bottom end portion17 formed coextensively with end areas E and F respectively. Score orcrease lines 18 and 19 running parallel to terminal edges 22 and 23 oftop end portion 16 and bottom end portion 17 respectively, divide eachend portion from its respective'end area. Score lines 24 and 25 parallelto terminal edges 26 and 27 of top end portion 28 and bottom end portion29, respectively, similarly divide the aforesaid end portions from theirrespective end areas G and H, of which they are integrally formed. Asseen in FIG. 1, a tapered edge 30 of top end portion 16 and a similaredge 31 of bottom end portion 17 are severed from their respectivelyadjacent closure portions K and H. Likewise, tapered end portion '29 issimilarly severed from adjacent closure portion L. Also formedintegrally of end area G and bounded by the terminal edges 32, 33, and34 is an upper seam flap 36 delimited from the area G by a score orcrease line 37. Immediately below flap 36 is a second flap 38 alsoformed integrally with its coextensive end area H and separatedtherefrom by a crease line 39. The numbers 42, 43-, and 44 designate theterminal edges bounding lower seam flap 38.

It will be noted that while upper terminal edges 13, 22, 26 and 45 andlower terminal edges 20, 23, 27 and 46 of the blank 10 are substantiallyrectilinear, the edges 47 and 48 of side areas A and B, respectively,are biased to angle inwardly of the blank 10 at the left-hand side. Theterminal edges 33 and 43 of upper seam flap 36 and lower seam flap 38,respectively, likewise are biased to angle correspondingly outward atthe right-hand side of the blank 10. i

In addition to the score or crease lines separating the designated areashereinbefore described, the body of the blank 10 is further providedwith other rectilinear or crease lines, the purpose of which will becomehereinafter apparent. A rectilinear score or crease line 51 separatesthe side area A from top closure portion K, and likewise a similar line52 separates side area D from bottom closure portion L.

The blank 10 is scored or creased centrally between its top and bottomportions parallel to the rectilinear edges 45 and 46 to provide arectilinear flex line 53. extending horizontally across the blank 10from its lefthand side to its right-hand side. Vertical fold lines inthe body portion of the blank are provided by a score line 54 separatingside portion A-B from end portion E/F, a score line 55 separating endportion E-F from side portion CD, score line 56 separating side portionCD from end portion G-H, as well as by score line 37, previouslymentioned as separating end portion G-H from upper and lower terminalseam flaps 36 and 38.

As may be seen in FIG. 1, in addition to the aforementioned rectilinearflex lines, four non-rectilinear'flex lines are also provided in thebody portion of the blank 3 by the angled score or crease lines 58, 59,69 and 61. It will be evident that the obtuse angle formed by each ofthe score lines 59 and 61 within the body of the blank at the point ofintersection with the flex line 53 corresponds to the obtuse angleformed by the nonrectilinear edge portions 47 and 48 at the left-handside of the blank. Similarly the obtuse angles formed at the point ofintersection with flex line 53 by score lines 58 and 60 correspond tothe obtuse angle which would be formed by the intersection of linesextended from the edge portions 33 and 43 of terminal seam flaps 36 and38 at the extreme right-hand side of the blank.

Upon the application of a suitable adhesive to the under-surface ofterminal seam flaps 36 and 38, as indicated by the shaded area 62 ofFIG. 1, the folding box shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 may be formed of theblank 10 by folding the blank along the fold line 56 so that theright-hand side of the blank is raised upward and over to lie flat uponthe face of the blank with glued 'seam flaps 36 and 38 exposed andfurther folding the blank along the fold line 54 so that the right-handside 'of the blank is brought upward and over to overlap the left-handside thereof to the extent that shaded areas 63 and 64 are adjacent seamflaps 36 and 38 respectively. It will be observed that the terminal flapportions 36 and 38 of the blank 10 are constructed so that when afolding box is to be formed thereof the entire surface 62 of theaforesaid flaps successfully receives an application of adhesive.Consequently, when the adhesive surface'62 of seam flaps 36 and 38 isapplied to the shaded areas 63 and 64 located at the left-hand edge ofthe blank 10, and sufficient pressure has been applied to the adjacentareas to effect a secure bond, a permanent and continuous bond is formedalong the entire seam at the edges 47 and 48.

When the seam of the collapsed blank has been secured as aforesaid, thefolded structure may be opened by the application of pressure to theopposed fold lines 54 and 56, whereupon the blank assumes a box-likestructure having rectangular sides and ends, the planes of which arerespectively parallel to each other. It will be evident that sideportions A-B and C-D have become side walls of the structure and thatend portions EF and G-H have become end walls thereof.

To effect the closure of the bottom of the box, the closure portion L isfolded along the scored line 52, and the retaining flap 14 is foldedalong the scored line 15 until perpendicular to closure portion L. Endflaps 17 and 29 are folded to be perpendicular to end areas F and Hrespectively. Finally retaining flap 14 is tucked into the space betweenthe tapered edges of bottom end p0rtions'17 and 29 and the insidesurface of side wall A-B. Similarly at the top of the box, end portions16 and 28 are turned inwardly perpendicular to end walls EF and GHrespectively and closure effected by tucking retaining flap 13 betweenthe aforesaid end portions and the adjacent wall C--D.

When erected in the manner described, the folding box forms a closedcontainer having regular and symmetrical proportions in all its parts,the planes of its top, bottom, sides and ends intersecting at rightangles to each other, as in a parallelopipedon. The angled flex lines 58and 61 now appear upon the flat surface of the side wall A-Bintermediate the corners of the box determined by the fold lines 37 and54, and the angled flex lines 59 and 60 appear upon the flat surface C-Dintermediate the corners of the box determined by the fold lines 55 and56.

To flex the box so that the uni-planar side and end walls are therebyeach converted to a pair of panels in dualplanar relation, the box isheld in both hands, as shown in FIG. 4, and pressure is applied to theend walls E-F and G-H at the flex line 53. The box thereupon assumes theshape shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. The areas A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H nowbecome independent panels in the side and end walls of the box, no twoof which are in the same plane. The panels of the side walls angleoutward to assume a convex aspect, wh1le the panels of the end wallsangle inward to assume a concave aspect. It will be noted that theflexed box, constructed of the blank 10 as scored and creased 1naccordance with this invention, has side walls having a width whenmeasured at the center flex line equal to the width of the end wallswhen measured at either the top or the bottom of the box. Likewise, theend walls, when the box has been flexed, have a width at the center flexline equal to the width of the side walls measured at the top or thebottom of the box. In consequence, the rectangle described by the centerflex line has an area equal to the areas K and L at the top and bottomof the box respectively.

It will be evident that the particular obtuse angles formed by thevertical, non-rectilinear flex lines 58, 59, 6t) and 61 at theirintersection with horizontal flex line 53 as shown in FIG. 1 andselected for the specific embodiment of the invention, are by no means alimiting factor of the invention. On the contrary, in the usual practiceof this invention a selection is made from a large number of possibleobtuse angles which may be formed by the aforesaid vertical flex lines,depending upon the size, degree of concavity of end walls and convexityof side walls, or other features it is desired to incorporate into thefolding box to be formed thereby.

In a modification of the invention, illustrated in FIGS.

6, 7, 8 and 9, the blank 23a has been blanked-out or scored without thefold lines 37 and 55 of blank 10. Otherwise the score lines and elementsof the blank 10!: are the same as those of the blank 10. It will beevident that when the left-hand side of blank 10 is brought upward andover to overlap the edge of the preivously folded right-hand side inorder to adhere the surface 621: to the shaded areas 63a and 6411, theprimary fold lines are 54.4 and 56a, respectively.

It will be evident that the novel folded box of this invention may beconstructed equally easily from either the blank 10 or the blank 1012 byapplying adhesive to the left-hand side of the respective blanks. Forexample, the blank 10 or the blank 10a may be run through a standardautomatic box-making machine having a glue wheel provided with a pair ofdies each having a surface conforming in part to the inwardly anglededge of blanks 10 and 16a. In the aforesaid manner of making the foldedbox according to this invention, it is contemplated that only the diesattached to the periphery of the aforesaid glue wheel will come intocontact with the edges of the respective blanks whereby application ofthe adhesive is confined to the seam portion of the blank and exposureof the top closure portions K and K to the aforesaid application ofadhesives is thereby avoided. The use of the glue wheel and diesordinarily associated with standard automatic box-making machinery willbe more fully described hereinafter.

After a secure bond has been formed along the seams 47a and 48a, theblank can be expanded by applying pressure to the fold lines 54a and56a. As may best be seen in FIG. 9, the volumetric proportions of thebox prior to flexing are that generally, although not exactly, of aparallelopipedon. Upon flexing the folding box by the application ofpressure to the end walls at the flex line 5311, the end walls of thebox each comprise a pair of panels angled inwardly of the box at thecentral portion thereof and assume a concave aspect, and the side wallseach comprise a pair of panels angled outwardly of the box at the centerportion thereof and assume a convex aspect. The side and end walls are,therefore, converted into pairs of panels having a dual-planarrelationship, and so that no plane of any panel is parallel with that ofany other, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 illustrates the appearance of the flexed folding box, formed of ablank as constructed according to this invention, when placed side byside on a shelf or similar support, and the manner in which thedual-planar formation of the end walls of the box provide a diamondshaped space 65 between each box, which may be utilized for grasping thebox preparatory to its removal from the aforesaid shelf or othersupport.

Another modification of the folded box, as constructed in accordanceWith this invention, is illustrated in (FIGS. 10, 11, and 12. The blankb, again of generally rectangular proportions, is constructed to have abody portion consisting of alternate side and end portions formedintegrally and longitudinally of blank 10b. The letters A", B" and C", Ddenote, respectively, areas comprising side portions of the folded boxand the letters E", F" and G", H similarly denote areas respectivelycomprising alternate end portions. A top closure portion K formedco-extensively with side portion A", B" is divided by a score or creaseline 11b parallel to the terminal edge 12b thereof marking off the areaof a top retaining flap 13b. A bottom retaining flap 14b is likewisemarked off by the score or crease line 15b formed in a bottom closureportion L", likewise parallel to the terminal edge thereof.

The blank 10b also comprises a top end portion 16b, a bottom end portion17b formed integrally with end areas E and F", respectively. Score orcrease lines 18b and 19b which are formed parallel to terminal edges 22band 23b of top end portion 16b and bottom end portion 17b, respectively,divide each end portion fro-m its respective end area. Score lines 24band 25b parallel to the terminal edges 26b and :27b of top end portion28b and bottom and portion 29b, respectively, in like manner divide theaforesaid end portions from their respective end areas, G and H", ofwhich they are integrally formed. A tapered edge 30b of top end portion16b and similar edge 21b of bottom end portion 17b are severed fromtheir respectively adjacent closure portions K" and H". Likewise,tapered end portion 29b is similarly severed from adjacent closureportion L". End area G" is bounded at the extreme right hand side ofblank 10b by the angularly formed terminal edges 47b and 48b.

At the extreme left-hand side of the blank 10b there are formedintegrally of the side areas A and B" seam flaps 36b and 38b,respectively. Seam flap 36b is bounded by the terminal edges 32b, 33band 34b, and the terminal flap 38b is bounded by the terminal edges 42b,43b and 44b.

It will be noted that the edges 47b and 48b of end areas C" and H",respectively, are biased to angle outwardly of the blank 10b at theextreme right-hand side thereof. The terminal edges 33b and 43b of upperseam flap 36b and lower seam flap 38b, respectively, are similarlybiased to angle correspondingly inwardly at the extreme left-hand sideof the blank 10b.

The body of the blank 1% is further provided with a rectilinear score orcrease line 51b which separates the side area A" from top closureportion K", and likewise, a similar line 52b is provided thereinseparating side area D" from bottom closure portion L.

The blank 10b is scored or creased centrally between the top and bottomportions parallel to the rectilinear edges 45b and 46b to provide arectilinear flex line 53b extending horizontally across the blank 1012from its lefthand side to its right-hand side. The flex line 53bterminates at the apex of the angle formed by the outwardly directedterminal edges 47b and 48b.

Vertical fold lines in the body portion of the blank 10b are provided bya score line 54b separating side portion AB from edge portion E"F" and ascore line 56b separating side portion C"D from end portion GII HII' Inaddition to the aforementioned rectilinear flex lines, fournon-rectilinear flex lines are also provided in the body portion of theblank 10b by the angled score or crease lines 58b, 59b, 60b, and 61b. Itwill be evident that the obtuse angle formed by each of the score lines59b and 61b within the body of the blank at the point of intersectionwith the flex line 53b corresponds to the obtuse angle formed by thenon-rectilinear terminal edges 47b and 48b at the extreme right-handside of the blank. Likewise, the obtuse angles formed at the point ofintersection with the flex line 53b by score lines 58b and 60bcorrespond to the obtuse angle which would be formed by the intersectionof lines extended along the terminal edges of terminal seam flaps 36band 38b at the extreme left-hand side of the blank 10b.

In the modification of the invention as exemplified by the blank 10b, asuitable adhesive is applied to an angular area indicated by the shadedportion 63b of FIG. 10 which forms a part of end body portion G"H" atthe right-hand side of the blank. Upon application of adhesive to theaforesaid area 63b, the blank 10b is folded first along the fold line54b in such a manner that the extreme left-hand side of the blank isbrought upward and over to lie flat against the upwardly exposed face ofthe blank and is then folded along the fold line 56b to bring theextreme right-hand side of the blank 10b upward and over to lie fiatagainst the exposed face of the blank and to overlap terminal seam flaps36b and 38b Which become secured to the aforesaid right-hand side of theblank upon the application of pressure to the glued seam. The appearanceof the blank 10b, folded as aforedescribed, is shown in FIG. 12, and themanner in which glue or other suitable adhesive may be applied to theblank 10b by the usual glue wheel associated with standard automaticbox-making machines is illustrated in FIG. 11. It is an importantfeature of this modification of the invention that the blank 10b can beused in association with the aforesaid standard automatic boxmakingmachines without encountering any difiiculty whatever in the automaticgluing methods ordinarily associated with such machinery. As shown inFIG. 11, a glue wheel 70b, of the kind used with standard automaticbox-making machines, is equipped with the dies 71b and 72b shaped tohave a surface which conforms in size and proportion to the size andproportion of the shaded area 63b. As the flat blank 10b proceedsthrough the standard automatic box-making machine, the extremeright-hand side of the blank passes beneath the glue wheel 70b which hasbeen adjusted to the speed of the machine so that the dies 71b and 72bcoincide in their revolutions on the periphery of the glue wheel withthe shaded area 63b. Since only the dies 71b and 72b of the wheel 70b,which is automatically revolved through a glue pot, touch the blank 10bat any point, only the shaded area 63b receives an application ofadhesive.

It will be evident that the dies 71b and 72b need not be used whenmaking a folded box from the blank 10b inasmuch as the only area ofblank 10b which could be exposed to the wheel is that shown in FIG. 10as the shaded area 63b.

It will be apparent that a very important advantage of this invention iscontained in the fact that both the rectilinear and non-rectilinearvertical fold lines provided in the blank, as constructed according tothis invention, terminate, when the box has been erected, only at thevertices of the box, thereby contributing greatly to the rigidity andstability of the box by avoiding the weakening effect of fold linesterminating at a point intermediate the aforesaid vertices.

Another important advantage of this invention is real ized in theconstruct-ion of a blank for a box readily adaptable to the manufactureof folding boxes by means of standard automatic box-making machinerywhereby the application of adhesive to the non-rectilinear seam of theblank is thorough and complete, affording a coinpletely bonded seam tothe folded box.

Still another advantage of this invention lies in the generallyrectilinear and parallel planes of the surfaces of the folding box whenunfiexed, whereby an enhanced convenience and practicality is affordedfor packing said boxes and their contents for shipment.

Still another advantage of the folding box, as constructed according tothis invention, lies in the manner in which the angle formed by thevertical, non-rectilinear flex lines of the blank may be varied toprovide many different degrees of concavity in the side walls of thebox, whereby a variety of articles contained by the box, such asbottles, for example, may be securely gripped and held in place withinthe container, thereby eliminating any need for corrugated linings, andthe like.

Although this invention has been disclosed with reference to specificforms and embodiments thereof, it will be evident that a great number ofvariations may be made without departing from the spirit and the scopeof this invention. For example, parts may be reversed, equivalentelements may be substituted for those specifically disclosed, andcertain features of the invention may be used independently of otherfeatures, all without departing from the spirit and scope of thisinvention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A folded box formed from a foldable blank comprising a plurality ofside walls adjacent one another, said walls having vertical fold linesforming at least two alternative junctures between each of said walls,said vertical fold lines forming each of said junctures terminating atthe same point at the upper and lower ends of said walls, said verticalfold lines forming at least two sets of cooperating junctures in saidbox, one of said sets of junctures being adapted to providesubstantially uniplanar walls in said box and the other of said sets ofjunctures being adapted to provide substantially dual planar walls insaid box, said walls having a horizontal score line therearoundextending transversely to said vertical means intermediate said upperand lower ends of said walls, a pair of end sections formed integrallywith at least two of said walls and extending from the top and bottomthereof, and closure means extending from opposing side walls forclosing the top and bottom of said box, said closure means havingretaining means associated therewith at the terminal end thereof forretaining said closure means in position against said walls.

2. The folded box defined in claim 1 wherein said vertical fold linescomprise a plurality of lines rectilinear with respect to said upper andlower ends of said box and a plurality of lines non-rectilinear withrespect to said upper and lower ends of said box fold lines, each ofsaid rectilinear fold lines being adjacent a non-rectilinear fold line.

3. A folded box formed from a foldable blank comprising a body portionconsisting of a pair of opposing side walls and a pair of opposing endwalls, said body portion being formed of alternating side and end wallsadjacent one another, said body portion having a plurality of straightand angular score lines impressed vertically therein, said straight andangular score lines being adapted respectively to form alternatejunctures between said side and end walls, each of said straight scorelines being adjacent an angular score line and co-terminous therewith atthe edges of said body portion, said straight score lines being adaptedto provide junctures forming substantially uni'planar side and end wallsin said box and said angular score lines being adapted to providejunctures forming substantially dual-planar side and end walls in saidbox, said dual-planar side walls being formed outwardly convex and saiddual-planar end walls being formed inwardly concave, said body portionhaving impressed in each wall thereof a score line transverse to saidvertical score lines, said body portion having a pair of terminal seamflaps formed integrally with an end wall, each of said seam flaps andsaid end wall having impressed therebetween a vertical score linedividing said flap from said end' wall, said seam flaps each beingfolded along said vertical score line inwardly of said body portion at ajuncture thereof and adapted to adhere to the inside of an adjacent sidewall, a pair of trapezoidal end sections formed integrally with each endwall and extending therefrom, each of said end sections and said endwall having impressed therebetween a horizontal score line dividing saidend section from said end wall, each of said end sections being foldedalong said horizontal scored line inwardly of said body portion andperpendicularly to said end wall, and a substantially rectangularclosure portion formed integrally with each side wall and extending fromopposite ends of said body portion, each of said closure portions andthe side wall from which it is formed having a score line impressedtherebetween, said closure portion being folded along said score lineperpendicu larly to said side wall, said closure portion consisting of acover portion and a retaining flap portion, said cover portion and saidretaining flap portion having impressed therebetween a horizontal scoreline dividing said cover portion from said retaining flap portion, saidretaining flap portion being folded along said score lineperpendicularly to said cover portion and disposed inwardly of said bodyportion.

4. The folded box defined in claim 3 wherein the number of straightscore lines impressed vertically in said body portion equals the numberof angular score lines impressed therein.

5. The folded box defined in claim 3 wherein the number of angular scorelines impressed vertically in said body portion exceeds the number ofstraight score lines impressed therein.

6. The folded box defined in claim 5 wherein the number of angular scorelines impressed vertically in said body portion is twice the number ofstraight score lines impressed therein.

7. A foldable blank for forming a box comprising a generally rectangularbody portion, said body portion having a plurality of pairs of foldlines extending laterally across the surface thereof, each pair of saidfold lines terminating at the same point at each of the lateral edges ofsaid body portion, said pairs of fold lines being disposed seriallyacross said body portion in longitudinally spaced relation, each of saidpairs consisting of a fold line rectilinear with respect to the lateraledges of said body portion and a fold line non-rectilinear with respectthereto, said body portion having impressed therein a score linetransverse to said fold lines and extending longitudinally across thesurface thereof, seam forming means formed integrally with said bodyportion and extending from a longitudinal edge thereof, and closuremeans for the top and bottom of said box formed integrally with saidbody portion and extending from the lateral edges thereof.

8. The blank defined in claim 7 wherein said nonrectilinear fold line isan angular fold line.

9. The blank defined in claim 8 wherein the angle formed by said angularfold line is an obtuse angle.

10. A foldable blank for forming a box comprising a generallyrectangular body portion, said body portion having impressed therein aplurality of straight and angular score lines extending laterally acrossthe surface thereof, each of said straight lines forming a right anglewith respect to the lateral edges of said body portion and each of saidangular lines forming an acute angle with respect to the lateral edgesof said body portion, each of said straight lines being adjacent anangular line and terminating at the same point therewith at the lateraledges of said body portion, said body portion having further impressedtherein a transverse score line extending longitudinally across thesurface thereof and intermediate the rectilinear lateral edges thereof,said body portion having an angular seam flap at a longitudinal edgethereof said flap having the angular apex thereof intermediate saidlateral edges of said body portion, said body portion having anindentation at the Opposite edge thereof conforming to the angularperiphery of said flap, a plurality of trapezoidal end sections formedintegrally with said body portion and extending from the lateral edgesthereof, each of said sections being divided from said body portion by alongitudinally extending score line, a pair of closure sections formedintegrally with said body portion and extending from the oppositelateral edges thereof, each said closure section being divided from saidbody portion by a longitudinally extending score line, and terminal flapportions formed of the terminal ends of said closure sections, each ofsaid flap portions being divided from each said closure section by alongitudinally extending score line.

11. A folded box formed from a foldable blank comprising a plurality ofside walls adjacent one another, said walls having vertical fold linesforming at least two alternative junctures between each of said walls,said vertical fold lines forming each of said jnnctures terminating atthe same point at the upper and lower ends of said walls, said verticalfold lines comprising a plurality of lines rectilinear with respect tosaid upper and lower ends of said box and a plurality of linesnon-rectilinear with respect to said upper and lower ends of said box,each of said rectilinear fold lines being adjacent a non-rectilinearfold line, said walls of said box having a substantially uniplanarrelation when said rectilinear fold lines form alternative juncturesbetween said walls, said walls of said box having a substantially dualplanar relation Where said non-rectilinear fold lines form saidalternative junctures between said walls, said walls having a horizontalscore line therearound extending transversely to said vertical foldlines intermediate said upper and lower ends of said walls, a pair ofend sections formed integrally with at least two of said walls andextending from the top and bottom thereof and closure means extendingfrom opposing side walls for closing the top and bottom of said box,said closure means having retaining means associated therewith at theterminal ends thereof for retaining said closure means in positionagainst said walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,050,894 Paige Aug. 11, 1936 2,067,998 Williamson Jan. 19, 19372,176,912 Luckett Oct. 24, 1939 2,361,877 Schell Oct. 31, 1944 2,474,476Guyer June 28, 1949 2,870,949 Currivan Jan. 27, 1959 2,884,181 McCormickApr. 28, 1959

